Harrisburg – Governor Tom
Corbett’s 2014-15 budget proposal invests more than $34.4 billion in total
funds for health and human services programs, delivering on his promise to help
those who need it most and providing a sustainable foundation to in​​​crease
access to quality, affordable healthcare for more than 500,000 Pennsylvanians
under his Healthy Pennsylvania plan.

In addition to advancing the Healthy
Pennsylvania plan, it reaffirms a commitment to preserving the safety net
for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, seniors, children
and low-income families.

“The smartest investments we make are
the ones we make in people,” Corbett said. “We’re committed to helping those
who need it most.”

The proposal puts Pennsylvania’s
Medicaid system on a stable path for the future, with a focus on better
matching benefits to healthcare needs, creating quality outcomes, supporting
increased personal responsibility, and increasing access to care through a
Private Coverage Option.

“Currently, one in six Pennsylvanians, more than
two million people, are on Medicaid, and the annual cost to Pennsylvania
taxpayers and the federal government is more than $22 billion,” Secretary of
Public Welfare Beverly Mackereth said. “Our Healthy Pennsylvania plan
doesn’t just look at how we spend our money, but at how we can better invest it
in a strategic way.”

The proposed budget also invests in
resources to serve more individuals who have been waiting to access needed
services, allowing them to stay in their homes and communities, and it supports
the infrastructure and practitioners needed to expand access to primary care
services in rural and underserved areas.

Health and human services investments in
the proposal include:

Reforming Pennsylvania’s Medicaid
Program: Accounts for$125 million in savings from the
implementation of reforms to the Medicaid program and the implementation of the
Private Coverage Option within the Healthy Pennsylvania Medicaid waiver;
assumes approval of the waiver by the federal government.

Increasing Support for Community
Health Centers and Health Care Clinics: Doubles the investment last year to
provide $8 million to Pennsylvania’s community-based healthcare clinics and
fund four additional health centers and clinics in addition to 36 existing
health centers and clinics.

Expanding Access to Primary Care
Services in Rural and Underserved Areas of Pennsylvania: Increase of
$4 million for loan repayment assurance to healthcare practitioners working in
primary care in rural and underserved areas, which will provide an additional
70 awards to physicians, dentists and other practitioners. Also provides
funding for 12 new residency slots for medical school graduates who are legal
Pennsylvania residents, or who have completed their medical school education in
Pennsylvania and who commit to providing primary care in a rural Pennsylvania
community upon completion of residency training, to help address the growing
primary care shortage in our rural areas.

Expanding Services for Older
Pennsylvanians and Individuals with Physical Disabilities: Increase of
$41.5 million in General and Lottery funds to serve:

An additional 1,764
older Pennsylvanians through the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Aging
Waiver ($11.6 million);

An additional 204
individuals who transfer from the Department of Public Welfare's Attendant
Care Program at age 60 ($1.4 million); and

An additional 1,599
individuals with physical disabilities in community settings ($18
million).

Expanding Services for Individuals
with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism: Additional $23.5 million to
provide home and community-based options for:

700 young adults who are
graduating from the special education system to continue to live
independently in the community;

400 individuals who are
on the emergency waiting list to access crucial services to keep them in
their homes and communities; and

100 adults with autism
spectrum disorders.

Moving Individuals from Institutional
Care to Community-based
Care: An additional $5.4 million to increase community placement for
individuals currently in state mental hospitals and state intellectual
disability facilities, enabling the transition of 90 clients from state mental
hospitals to progressive mental health treatment in home-like settings and 50
clients from state intellectual disability facilities to home and
community-based settings.

Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis: Increase
of $2.2 million for services dedicated to victims of sexual and domestic
violence.

Child Care Assistance: Increase
of $15 million in federal funds to allow an additional 2,895 children currently
waiting for services to receive child care assistance.

Children’s Health Insurance Program
(CHIP) Enrollment and Outreach: Increase of$9 million to serve more
than 10,000 additional children in the Children’s Health Insurance Program,
assisting in the Healthy Pennsylvania goal of insuring all kids in
Pennsylvania.

Child Advocacy Centers: $2
million for the support and expansion of Child Advocacy Centers in
Pennsylvania, supporting a recommendation from the Task Force on Child
Protection.